Strathcona County family may have to say goodbye to pig

Michelle Kropp talks to her pot-bellied pig Eli on the front porch of her home in Sherwood Park Alta., on Tuesday June 3, 2014. The family may have to give up Eli following a bylaw complaint. David Bloom/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency

A Strathcona County family may be saying farewell to a member of their household unless he can stop being such a pig.

When Michelle Kropp and her family moved into their home on Clearwater Lane in Sherwood Park, she says she thought they could bring Eli, a potbellied pig they had adopted when he was orphaned, with them.

And at first there wasn't a problem. Eli had lived with them in their previous home in town and no one had said anything, despite the fact that county bylaw prohibits pigs living in homes in urban areas. But recently, a call from a neighbour to the local bylaw office changed that.

"The bylaw basically states that if you want to bring a potbellied pig or chickens or miniature horses or rats . . . we're not prepared to, the bylaw doesn't provide for those opportunities," said Ian Gray, director with transportation and agriculture services for Strathcona County.

Kropp said she spoke with someone from the bylaw office before moving in who told her Eli would not fall under the bylaw because he is considered a companion animal. But she didn't get it in writing and since then bylaw has said they never made that promise.

According to Kropp, Eli is different from other animals.

"He lives in our home, sleeps on a shag carpet under a bunk bed, has been hand-raised by people. He's a companion animal," she said, adding he has worked as a therapy animal with cancer patients as well.

Kropp has had three other pigs in the past that she has used in therapeutic ways -- one of which spent three summers at Edmonton's Kipnes Centre for Veterans -- and feels Eli should be given special consideration.

She said in past, places including Calgary and Edmonton, have extended permits without a fuss.

But according to Gray, it's not that easy. Even if the complaint is withdrawn, the bylaw office is now obligated to give Kropp two weeks to find the pig a new home or risk it being removed.

"Under the current bylaw, she has no options. There is no allowance for a special permit or unique circumstance," he said.

In order for Eli to avoid being taken from the family, Strathcona County council has to amend the livestock bylaw.

But he said that could open the door for other difficulties.

"You can only imagine the considerations that would have to come into play if you opened that door up. I think it would be very difficult to administer a bylaw that gave that kind of discretion," said Gray.

He said it would have to be very specific in order to work.

"Bylaw is a reflection of the societal standards of the day. This bylaw was reviewed in 2011. At that time, it was the council of the day's view that they didn't want to open up that can of worms, no pun intended."

Online petitions have been started in support of both keeping and removing Eli, but the final decision rests with council.

Should Eli be removed, Kropp fears he won't do well considering he has become so used to being cared for by humans.

"He has no street smarts or farm smarts," she said. "He would be lost."

As Advertised in the Edmonton SUN

Strathcona County family may have to say goodbye to pig

A Strathcona County family may be saying farewell to a member of their household unless he can stop being such a pig.
When Michelle Kropp and her family moved into their home on Clearwater Lane in Sherwood Park, she says she thought they could bring Eli, a potbellied pig they had adopted when he was orphaned, with them.
And at first there wasn't a problem. Eli had lived with them in their previous home in town and no one had said anything, despite the fact that county bylaw prohibits pigs living in homes in urban areas. But recently, a call from a neighbour to the local bylaw office changed that.